Priest/Laurel Dinner and Dance

Katelynn attended the Priest/Laurel(youth ages 16-18) Dinner and Dance.  This year the boys were challenged to ask their dates creatively.  The boys were assigned a "date" and then they had to ask that girl.  Katelynn's date gave her a cube of butter with her name on it before seminary.  Then after seminary her came up to her, handed her a package of microwave popcorn and said, "Now that I have buttered you up, I want to pop the question, will you go with me to the Priest Laurel Dance?"  She said yes and was really excited to go.

The girls and boys show up both at the church but are in separate rooms.  The boys then come over to a room and come in to a mom and dad(just a couple at our church) and they have to meet "the parents" then Katelynn walked out to meet her date.  She had made a boutonniere the previous night(they taught all the youth how to make corsages and boutonnieres) and then her date gave her the corsage.  Then he escorts her to the gym where the dinner will be.  They spend time having an etiquette lesson, eating dinner, answering fun get-to-know you questions and a game.  Then the rest of the evening is spent dancing.  You begin and end the dance with your "date" and then the rest of the time you can dance with whomever you would like to.  It is a great way to learn the arts of dating.

Because I now work with the youth at church, I got to help with the planning of this night and I was able to attend.  It was fantastic.  The youth all looked to beautiful and handsome.

Katelynn looked great and she had a great time with her date.

Matthew's Birthday

Matthew turned 15 years old.  He is very excited because he has just about saved his part of drivers training and will start in March.  Crazy to think we have another child that will be driving.  Matt enjoyed his day of no chores, eating fish for dinner, boston creme pie for his cake for the 3rd year in a row and opening his presents(fishing stuff).

Allison Turns 12!!

Allison had a birthday.  She has looked forward to this birthday more than any other I think.  Allie is now in the Young Women program.  She now gets to go to mutual(youth group) every Wednesday night.   She gets to start practicing putting makeup on.  Her mom and dad don't let her leave the house with it on until she's 14, but she is having fun trying it on.

There is actually a cake under all the candy.  I know they all liked it but the cake didn't get eaten, just the candy.

Allison with a little bit on mascara and lip gloss.  That's it.  It is a bit too grownup for me.

High School Christmas Concert

This Christmas Concert was special to us this year.  The band and choir only perform together at their Christmas Concert and this was the one time that Matt and Katelynn would perform together during their high school years.  Katelynn as a senior and Matt as a freshman.  The last piece of the concert is the Handel's Alleluia Chorus played by the band and sang by the choir.  It is an awesome ending to a great concert.  It brought me to tears.  We captured a few cute pictures after the concert.

School Pictures 2011-2012

Catching Up

Time to turn back the clock a bit to let you see what our family has been doing.

A fun family tradition:  Making Graham Cracker Houses at Christmastime with our friends the Fillmores.

Boys Fishing Trip

Ben and Matt LOVE to fish.  They finally found a weekend when Matt wasn't busy with marching band to take a couple days to fish.  They took along their friend and great fisherman Brandon and had a great time.  They came home with lots of fish.  Then they spent the next couple hours gutting the fish.  We had a yummy fish feed the next day.

Brandon's catch

Ben's catch

Matt admiring a fish

Their catches

Matt and a fish

Daniel and a fish that was found in the stomach of a fish

Allie loved holding the fish

Brandon teaching the guys how to do it

Matt learning how to filet a fish

Working into the night to finishing gutting the fish